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Saturday, May 25, 2013

The importance of adab for the seeker of the divine

Adab can be translated several ways: deportment, manners and
etiquette are some of the possible translations.

The word to begin بدأ is the word adab
backwards. So if you begin with adab you will reach your aim. But if you have
no adab then you have not begun the path. How you start your journey will have
a bearing on your final destination. Ibn Ata Allah Al-Askandari (may Allah show
him mercy) said, “He who is illumined at the beginning; is illumined at the
end.” That is why beginnings are so important.

Consider the English saying, ‘Start as you mean to go on.’
Someone who proceeds correctly will succeed correctly.

Elsewhere Ibn Ata Allah Al-Askandari (may Allah show him
mercy) described Adab as, “Correct behavior means that you are occupied with
commendable things.” Use your time as a means to benefit your afterlife.
Someone asked him what he meant. He said, “This means you observe correct behavior with Allah both inwardly and outwardly. If you conduct yourself in
this way, you will have correct behavior, even if your speech is not of an Arab.”

Yahya Ibn Muadh (may Allah show him mercy) said, “One who is
well versed in correct behavior toward Allah (the Exalted) will become one of
those who he loves.”

Adab means to put something in its proper place and the
opposite is oppression. There is adab in everything we do and the manner in
which it is carried out. If an action is carried out without adab of the Sheikh
then we need to accuse ourselves of failure. Essentially Adab is understanding
of the manner of the implementation of the Sunnah and that can only be taken
from a Sheikh.

The taking of the oath/Bayah from a spiritual master of our
Sheikh is adherence to the spiritual way of Imam Abu Hassan Al-Shadhali (may
Allah show him mercy). It is not mere lip service. It is a serious commitment
to follow this way and forsake what we knew before.

We try to emulate him because he is our exemplar in his role
of spiritual inheritor of the Prophetic legacy, “The scholars are inheritors of
the Prophets.” (Muslim).

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings
upon him) is described as Aswatu Hassan/The greatest example in the Quran but
for who? For he who want to meet his Lord.

Bad adab can be in the manner in which the seeker reacts towards his Sheikh, his brethren and worse of all Allah (the
Exalted). This can be manifest when the seeker dislikes or even questions the
decree of Allah (the Exalted). Allah has been looking after you all your life,
so why do you question him now when things do go to your plan? Everything is going according to His plan so relax!

Dhu Al-Noon Al-Misri (may Allah show him mercy) said, “If
the beginner, on the Sufi path, turns away from correct behavior; he is sent
back to where hence he came.”

We need to vigilant not to commit sins and get
sent back to square one. If we do then we repent and renew our commitment to
obedience.

We miss basics when we cheat, lie and steal. All of which belie the
one we claim to follow (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him).

Adab can be defined as excellent conduct and the only place
you can find that is the Sunnah. Have the best adab with your Sheikh, your
brothers and sisters on this path, your family, your colleagues, and the people
you meet and in dhikr gatherings. One of the adabs that is missing is in dhikr
gatherings. When people are easily distracted by text messages and phones.

If
you face someone and turn away then it is bad adab. When you are in dhikr
gatherings you do not turn away but focus on the meaning of the words that you
are saying. Adab with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and
blessings upon him) is following in his footsteps in all matters. This is all
easy to say but hard to do.

Sheikh Muhammad said in his directions for seekers, “Do not
be distracted by others on board.” This could be people on the same path or
other people who harm you.

The hadith that would solve ninety percent of our problems
if it was adhered to is, “From the perfection of one Islam is to leave that
which does not concern you.” Avoid debates, arguements and focus on seeking
knowledge.Know what to do if you make a
mistake in the prayer.

Imam As-Shafi (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked how
he attained such good character. He said that he took his critics seriously.

Many of us think we are good but we have to honest with
ourselves and look deeply – ask yourself painful questions.

“Be in the world as you are a stranger or a wayfarer.”(Bukhari) This is the hadith that a seeker
needs to adhere to. He knows that he is a passing by this world, stopping for a
while and moving on.

We are all travelling this path and we are all journeying.
The seeker on the spiritual path begins right so he can end right.

The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever increases in knowledge and does not increase in guidance, only increases in distance from Allah."

Imam Qusheri had a favourite student and people noticed that he liked him, others students became jealous.

So he set all of his students a test, kill a bird but do it where nobody is watching. The students came back one by one with their birds killed except the favourite student.He said, “I couldn’t find any spot where no one was looking.” The other students stopped and realised why he liked him so much.

(He always knew that Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala was looking at him.)

Ibn Ata'llah said, “People praise you for what they suppose is in you, but you must blame your soul for what you know is in you.” Hikam number 142

Ibn Ata'llah said, "No one is a companion of yours except the one who knowing your defects, is your companion and that is only the generous Lord.” Hikam number 135.

Ibn Ata'llah said, “Sometimes he gives whilst depriving you and sometimes he deprives you, in giving.” Hikam number 83

Ibn Ata'llah said, "Suffice it as a recompense to you for obedience, that he has judged you worthy of obedience." Hikam number 90

Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (May Allah have mercy upon him) said, "Anyone who believes himself safe from criticism and reproach is out of his mind." In pursuit of virtue p.125

Jesus (upon him peace) said, "The world is a bridge, so pass over it to the next world , but do not try to build on it."

Muhammad ibn Ahmed Al-Buzaydi said, "Nothing prevents people from obtaining what they desire except their sincerity, so do understand."

Salman Al-Farsi (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "If a slave abstains from the world, his heart becomes illuminated with wisdom and his limbs reciprocate in worship." Minhaj Al-abideen by Imam Ghazali.

Al-Aqida at-Tahawiah by Imam Abu Jafr At-Atahawi.
"Belief consists of: belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last day and belief that the Decree both the good and the bad, the sweet and the bitter are all from Allah Ta'ala." Number 66.

Abu Barza al-Aslami said, "I said, 'Messenger of Allah, show me an action by which I will enter the Garden!" He said, 'Remove harmful things from people's path.'"

Ibn Ata'llah (May Allah Ta'ala show him mercy) said:
"Do not despair when in spite of intense supplication, there is a delay in receiving the expected gift. He has guaranteed that he will respond in what He chooses for you, and not what you choose for yourself, and at the time He chooses – not the time you desire."

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Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (May Allah have mercy upon him) said, "If you look deeply into worldly matters you will become melancholy and will end up reflecting upon the ephemeral nature of everything here below, and the fact that truth lies only in striving for the hereafter, since every ambition to which you might cling will end in tears; either the goal is snatched from you, or you have to give the attempt up before you reach it. One of these two endings is inevitable except the search for God the Almighty the Powerful. Then the result is always joy, both immediate and eternal. The immediate joy is because you stop worrying about things which usually worry people; this leads to an increase in the respect paid to you by friends and enemies alike. The eternal joy is the joy of paradise." In Pursuit of Virtue by Ibn Hazm p.121